The date that finally was
by SlytherinElektra
Summary: Avenger!Loki. Steve saves Loki when he is injured in battle and Loki feels that he has to repay the favour. And then someone from the past reappears. Mostly friendship with a side of romance and flirtation.


Steve Rogers was a good man.

Despite his initial aversion to the soldier (he was a bit too much like Thor for Loki's tastes, too blond, too muscular, too righteous and well-liked) Loki had ended up growing fond of him. He'd learned that Steve was something else, that he was very different form Thor. For starters, the captain didn't dismiss his magic like Asgard had done. Rogers had been a bit skeptical but, accepted it quite easily. "_If it minimizes the damage and helps us finish quicker, I'm all for it, trick or no trick.",_ he would say. And Steve always recognized Loki's contribution, and thanked him for his work. He admired his magic. It was a welcome change.

Not only now, but in the past too. Rogers had been the first one to accept him into his little team, had even made an effort to convince the others.

After being, like Stark would put it, "a little shit" one too many times in Asgard (and most of the other realms, if he was honest) Loki realized that everybody on the realm hated him. With a passion. Nothing less than seeing him be tortured for eternity would please them. Dangerous and strong norse warriors that wanted only his pain and suffering. It was troublesome, to say the least. There was even some talks of rocks and snakes and venom in the eyes for eternity, not exactly something Loki was looking forward to.

Loki, who was many things but never daft, knew that not only he had to run, but if he wanted to live he should probably find someone to protect. A half decent bunch of warriors that would stand by him. He thought of his brothers and his little band of mortals immediately.

So he left for Midgard, fought one of the enemies of the Avengers and kindly asked for asylum in return for his services. They refused, as was expected and imprisoned him again. He escaped without much trouble and helped out the Avengers again. And then again, and again, and again. He convinced a man named Doom to at least delay his attacks. Spoke with a bunch of arab terrorist and tricked them into giving their explosives to the US government. He even helped the members of the team with their lives, helped the logistics, even helped SHIELD.

With time, the Avengers started thinking this was possibly not a trick and that they could give Loki another chance.

Steve Rogers was the first.

"With the amount of good things he has done for us in these last few months, I think we should at least consider it. He's obviously trying to redeem himself and hell, with Doom alone, I think he's made it." He said.

Natasha Romanoff, surprisingly, was second.

"We all have a past." She argued. "Some of us have probably even killed more people than Loki, even if not so publicly. And having a guy with magic on our side could be a great strategic advantage."

Thor also asked Fury and the rest of authorities to accept him, fearing for his brother's life if they did not offer him asylum. They had their up and downs, and there had been times when he wished he had no brother but he still loved Loki. And what his friends and other Asgardians planned to do with him gave Thor nightmares.

And so, after many internal fights, shouts and signing a lot of contracts he had no intention of reading, Loki became one of them. It wasn't easy accepting him, and he spent most of his time alone. The rest only spoke with him when he was needed, mostly for battle. The first real social interaction he had was with Banner, after he was injured in battle and the doctor healed him.

Loki read Banner's work and they talk about it. They spoke about science and technology, happy to have someone equally smart as a listener. They talked battle. And they talked about feeling like monsters and being unloved by cruel fathers, on one occasion that they were obscenely drunk. There was a sort of understanding between them.

But in the battlefield, Loki often paired up with the Captain. He was the offense with his magic and tricks, while Rogers provided a good defense with his shield. They made a very good team – a barrier that was almost impossible to surpass. They got to know each other's moves and tactics and became perfectly synchronized. A great team.

They found out they had things in common out of the battlefield, too. They both had been bullied as kids for being too small and weak. They had both being mocked for their love of books and eager to prove themselves, prove they too could be powerful warriors. They ended up liking each other, as different as they were.

The honest man and the god of lies.

In may a problem aroused. Loki had been feeling a bit ill the last few days, and wasn't feeling up to fighting an entire army of evil scientists and their robotics minions. But Clint suggested that maybe he didn't want to go to the field because he was friends with those maniacs, so he had to go to avoid suspicion. Halfway through battle, he was knocked out by an enemy blast and fell down, unconscious. He couldn't heal himself, he was too ill. There was blood pooling under him. He only recovered his senses for seconds at a time that whole day, and lacked the strength to move. While they were surrounded by enemies.

Steve, always the good man, instead of abandoning him and continuing the fight he received various injuries while trying to protect his fallen partner. He took Loki in his strong arms and took him out of danger's way, and quickly to the medical wing of Stark tower where he took care of his wounds and stayed with him until he woke up again.

Loki had almost cried upon hearing what the mortal had done for him. He had even left battle for his sake, as if he, the second son, the forgotten son, was important.

When Loki asked for an explanation for his acts, Rogers merely said:

"I can't lose you, Loki, you're my partner. You're more important than you know."

Now, this Loki couldn't believe. And there was something else that seemed strange.

"You left your friends… for me?"

"The Hulk and Stark were having no problems to defeat those guys. And you were bleeding so much… I didn't even have to think, I knew I had to get you safe. And I'm glad I did. Just don't ever scare me like that again, ok?"

So Loki decided he had to do something for the man, something to thank him, something big. Something that would make Rogers happy, as happy as he could, to start repaying the debt. The man deserved it, that and more.

A normal person would have bought some dinner, written a heartfelt letter, maybe give the guy some cufflinks or something of the sort. But Loki was not a normal person, he was a god. And he did everything in a much bigger scale.

He would give Steve the thing he wanted the most in this world.

* * *

It was a bright morning and Steve was having coffee in Stark tower, trying to awaken properly, when someone clearing his throat behind him caught his attention. He looked and…

Steve's eyes widened in shock and the mug full of coffee fell on the floor and shattered dramatically. It couldn't be. It was impossible.

"I believe we had a date, Rogers. And you're awfully late."

Steve couldn't believe his eyes. It was Peggy, his Peggy, the woman he'd met on the war, looking just like he left her. She was wearing modern clothes and her hair was also styled in a more modern fashion, but it was her. There was no doubt. Just as perfect and gorgeous as when he left her.

But that couldn't be. Peggy was a very old woman now.

"How…?" He began.

"Some magician came to me, said he could make my dreams come true. I didn't believe him at first, you know, a masked guy telling an old lady nice things… it sounded like a scam. But I told him that there was something I'd wanted to do for a very long time and… this happened."

"It's…It's amazing!"

They both smiled. Steve couldn't believe his luck.

"Careful, love." Peggy warned. "I don't want you to think that I'm back for good. I only have until dawn tomorrow and I am thankful for that, if I'm honest. I already lived my life, Steve, and you are only a very distant memory. I'll leave before this... spell is over and we'll go back to our live, our separate lives. It's just one date, that date we thought we would have. Is that clear?"

"Yes, yes, of course."

Steve would have preferred if Peggy could stay longer, but just seeing her again, even if it was only for a few minutes, was already a huge blessing. He thought that was lost forever, and suddenly... everything changed. And to think that he had almost a whole day with her! That could only described with one word: miracle. It was beyond his wildest dreams.

"What are you waiting for, then? Get dressed and take me out, soldier."

She was determined. And Steve loved it.

"Sure, just give me a minute. Ah…make yourself at home, there's coffee, and tea and…"

"I think I'll manage."

"Sure, sure. I'll be right back."

Back in his room, Steve had no idea of what to wear. He had been waiting a really long time for this date and wanted to be perfect. He ended up choosing some black pants and a blue shirt, not wanting to keep Peggy waiting. He looked at himself in the mirror, doubtful. What if Peggy didn't like him anymore? What if he only said all the wrong things and ruined the few but precious memories they had?

No, he couldn't think that way. He'd been given a second chance and he was going to make the most of it.

"You look great." Peggy told him when he got out.

"You too, you look… beautiful, stunning."

Peggy was wearing a beautiful little black dress with some high heeled boots of the same colour and her dark hair flowed onto her shoulders and back on big waves.

"You ready?"

On the elevator, Steve felt awkward. He'd never been exactly comfortable with the ladies and he hadn't seen Peggy in a long time and… but she took his hand and smiled at him and suddenly he knew everything would go perfectly.

They started simply walking through Manhattan, holding hands. Peggy told him about her life, and all the exciting missions she'd been part of. Steve told her about the Avengers and all the good they'd done. At some point, Steve mentioned the fight against Loki and Peggy smiled.

"That's how I first found out that you were still alive. The battle of New York, where a group of remarkable individuals fought against some alien threat. Very bravely, I might add."

"Yeah, I remember our beginnings. It was not an easy fight to win, but we did it. Can you believe that Loki's with us now? And I'm glad, really. The guy is very smart and has helped a lot."

"Well, he maybe fantastic, but you are still my favourite Avenger."

And then she kissed him, a short, soft, little kiss on the lips.

They looked into each other eyes. The perfect moment.

Steve felt he might explode with joy.

The next hours flew by incredibly quickly. They had lunch in central park and went to see some shops. They exchanged books and anecdotes and laughed and hugged. They went clothes shopping too, after Peggy informed Steve that it was a very modern thing to do and that women from this time liked. Steve was delighted, simply sitting outside the dressing room and watching that beautiful woman try on some clothes. She looked gorgeous with everything and he told her.

They also went to a photo booth, where they had about a million photos taken. Smiling, looking at each other, putting funny faces, frowning, kissing. They enjoyed being silly for a bit. Steve even bought her a small plastic tiara that they saw on a toy shop.

"Look at me, I'm a princess!"

He looked at her.

"You're not a princess, Peggy. You're a queen."

Her eyes lit up. They kissed again.

The happy couple had dinner in a fancy restaurant, where Peggy laughed at Steve's attempts at humour.

Later, they went to a club she knew, where one could dance to old British classics. Steve was quite stiff at first, never having been a great dancer, but Peggy took him by the waist and guided him. It was perfect.

They made out on a dark corner while the music played. A bit dirty and not proper enough for Steve's tastes (this was only their first date, for god's sake!) but they were only going to get this chance so, what the hell!

Peggy took a cab about four in the morning, and Steve didn't want her to leave. Tears came to his eyes – this was too beautiful to be ending.

"I have to go, Steve."

But the soldier had a massive lump in his throat, couldn't even answer.

"Will you do me a favour?" the lady said and Steve nodded. "Don't look too much into this. Don't look for the man, don't try to make this happen again. Just remember this day and all the fun we had. Will you do that?"

"I don't want you to leave."

"I have to. I have a life, and so do you. But I will forever remember this day."

"Me too."

They gave each other a farewell kiss and the date ended.

Steve stood for a while on the sidewalk, watching the cab go, sad but at the same time happy, still not able to believe that he finally got his date with Peggy.

Suddenly, this time was perfect. There was not a single thing wrong with it.

He cried an enormous THANK YOU to the skies.

* * *

Rogers spent the better part of the next month grinning and telling everybody about his wonderful date, and showing everyone some of the pictures they took on the photo booth. It was annoying as hell.

Tony was escaping one morning, when he found Loki on the very same room where he'd first offered him a drink, all that time ago, back when they were enemies. He was reading in the sofa, looking as pale and magnificent as usual.

Tony poured himself a drink, glad to be alone with the god.

"Hey, hope I'm not bothering." He said, and Loki looked up from his book. "Just wanted to get away from Captain Happiness out there. You want a drink?"

"Sure, why not?"

So Loki walked until he was next to Tony and took the glass with the whiskey. Stark flashed one his very charmismatic smiles.

"You know what's weird? Steve was convinced the whole thing was a total miracle and didn't dig much into it, the lady's wishes, apparently. But I don't believe in miracles, so I had JARVIS track her. The lady in question, get this, is very ill and hasn't moved from her bed in months."

Loki didn't seem too impressed.

"Peculiar, indeed. But magic possesses mysterious ways of doing things."

Stark insisted.

"You know, I have almost everything figured out, except for one thing. When the hell did you learn how to walk with heels?"

Loki smiled.

"My skill set is almost limitless, Stark. You should know that by now."

Tony almost exploded. He'd been suspecting this since it happened.

"It was you! I knew it was you! You freaking shape-shifted into Steve's old flame and took him out on that date he wanted!"

No point denying it now.

"I did go to see Miss Carter." Loki said. "The ideal situation would have been if the Captain got his date with the real woman, not me. But, like you said, the woman was ill and her body would not withstand the effect of the spell or the shock of seeing herself young again. She also had trouble with her memory, so she might not even remember the Captain at all. So I intervened."

Tony was impressed.

"That's… that's really nice of you, Loki. And there's a sentence I never thought I would I would say."

Loki didn't give it too much importance.

"He took me out of harm's way, bandaged my wounds, stood by my bedside. It was just a kindness repaid."

Tony threw him a sly look.

"All right, well, if I ever do you a big favor, could you become sado-maso dominatrix Pepper? It's something that I always wanted to do, but I'm afraid she's too nice to do it convincingly."

Loki appeared in front of him, towering over him and smelling like mint and looking with those bright eyes.

"Do not tempt me, Stark." He said, almost whispering. "Or I might give you a night you will never forget. Have you smiling for a whole month."

There was silence.

Until Tony broke it.

"You little shit. I am so turned on right now."

Loki laughed having completed his mission, left his glass and started to leave. But there was something Tony had to tell him still.

"Hey!" Loki turned to look at the man. "That's really nice, what you did for Steve. I take back whatever nasty things I said of you. You're awesome, pal."

And when he ran into the Captain and he saw his enormous smile, he had to admit – Loki, for the first time in a very long while did feel slightly awesome.

A/N: Hope you liked it! It's nice and sunny. A bit out of character maybe, but I enjoyed it. Do tell me your thoughts! I eagerly await your reviews! If you want to read Loki's and Bruce's conversation mentioned in the beginning you can read my story _Such brilliant monsters_, it's basically that. Also, I'm thinking about writing that one where they are drunk...hummm... Anyways,

You know you want to review!

Please, do tell me what you thought! Every review is important and makes the author happy!


End file.
